The goal to elucidate the entire human genome has created interest in technologies for rapid deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and other nucleic acid sequencing, both for small and large scale applications. Important parameters for nucleic acid sequencing include sequencing speed, length of sequence that can be read during a single sequencing run, and amount of nucleic acid template required to generate sequencing information. Large scale genome projects are currently too expensive to realistically be carried out for a large number of subjects (e.g., patients). Furthermore, as knowledge of the genetic basis for human diseases increases, there will be an ever-increasing need for accurate, high-throughput DNA sequencing that is affordable for clinical applications. Practical methods for determining the base pair sequences of single molecules of nucleic acids, preferably with high speed and long read lengths, may provide the necessary measurement capability.
Nucleic acid sequencing and other diagnostic technologies can rely heavily on amplification of individual nucleic acid molecules. For example, nucleic acid sequencing may rely on amplification of a nucleic acid prior to sequencing, in order to generate a sufficient amount of the nucleic acid for sequencing. In some cases, amplification methods suitable for segregating the amplification of a nucleic acid in a sample from the amplification of other nucleic acids in the sample may be desirable, including cases where multiple nucleic acids are sequenced simultaneously. Such amplification methods include, for example, clonal amplification. Moreover, isothermal amplification methods may also be desirable in order to avoid the need for thermal cycling equipment and/or the need to subject a sample to varied temperature conditions that can result in increased times necessary for completing nucleic acid amplification.